Sunday, March 29, 2009

This is one of my favorite roadside statue postcards. Who can resist a pink dinosaur?

Actually, the reason I chose to post it this week is because of the location name Vernal. "Vernal" is an adjective meaning "spring" which is what I would like the weather to be. Winter seems to be hanging on too long.

The car in the background appears to be a late 1950s Plymouth or Dodge. To get into the spirit of the times, watch the video Watch TV Like in 1958! Fred Astaire "In Living Color"! This is part of an early color TV show sponsored by the Chrysler Corporation. (You can tell I've been watching too much YouTube lately!)

Thursday, March 26, 2009

On the back of this postcard is this quote: "Ah, would that we were young again — English."

Thomas Dunn English (1819 - 1902) was an American politician who represented a New Jersey congressional district in the House of Representatives from 1891 to 1895. He was also an author. The quote on this postcard is from his poem "Kate Vane:"

KATE VANE.

I Well remember when at mornWe twain to school would go,In summer heat, in winter chill—Unheeding sun or snow.I think of when I used to gazeWithin your bonnet on those days—Perchance to steal a kiss, Kate Vane.Ah, would that we were young again!

I think of when I "did the sums"That puzzled so your pate,And, when I went to say my task,Slipped in your hands the slate.Oft would I claim and get for thisWhat now were worth a world—a kiss:You did not think it harm, Kate Vane—Ah, would that we were young again!

I think of when the brindle cowAdown the cattle trackChased you, and I with stick and stoneIn triumph beat her back.Your little cheek was on my breast,Your little lips to mine were prest,Your eyes were filled with love, Kate Vane-Ah, would that we were young again!

I think of when I halved with youMy cherished, childish store,And only wished, for your dear sake,It might be ten times more.Our schoolmates, in their petty strifeWith us, would call us "man and wife; "None call us that just now, Kate Vane—Ah, would that we were young again!

I see you now when years have passed,And find you full as fair;Time has not soiled your purity,Nor marked your face with care.I love you as I did before—Yea! deeper, stronger, better, more.What! are you in my arms, Kate Vane?Dear love, we both are young again!

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Fort Lauderdale was where the "college boys" went for their vacations in 1966 when this card was published. Now the most popular spot for Spring Break is Cancun. In fact, Fort Lauderdale does not even want college students to spend their vacations in their city.

"What do Cancun, San Padre Island and Daytona Beach have that South Florida once had, but does not want again? The six week ritual known as 'Spring Break.' Fort Lauderdale is no longer 'where the boys are' but where well-heeled Europeans, sophisticated Northerners and laid-back Mid-Westerners come to relax and vacation. From the late 1980's into the early 90's, Greater Fort Lauderdale was a destination in transition. The area's success at ridding itself of Spring Break has made it one of the fastest growing travel destinations in the United States."

Thursday, March 19, 2009

I found a funny Garfield video about mailmen, so I searched my collection of 1980s Garfield postcards for a card on the same subject. This is number P2320, published under license from United Feature Syndicate, Inc. New York, N. Y., U.S.A. by Argus Communications•Allen, TX• Printed in U.S.A.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Guinness is an Irish beer, especially popular on St. Patrick's Day. This Guinness Beer postcard is an odd size: 2-7/8" x 5-3/4". Its age is unknown — possibly 1970s. Under the picture is printed "GUINNESS STOUT Imported by — THE GUINNESS-HARP CORP., NEW YORK, N.Y."

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Here is something to cheer you up when you're sick! Actually, this postcard was probably meant as a humorous insult, implying that you are sick in the head or mentally disturbed. If this postcard doesn't make you feel better, this video will.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Leather postcards were made for about five years in the early 20th century. Apparently they were banned by the post office because of problems in processing the cards.

This postcard shows a lady making a pillow out of leather postcards. A mailbox is shown because she wants the receiver to mail her some more leather cards! The idea of using the leather postcards to make a patchwork pillow was promoted in order to increase sales. Some of the cards that can still be found have holes punched along the edges so that the cards could be sewn together.

This is a 1987 advertising postcard for the Penrod/Hiawatha Company and the North Michigan Gift Show. There is a very interesting 2006 article Postcards Serve as Memories for Visitors to Mackinac Island that gives some history of the Penrod/Hiawatha Company, discusses postcard history and trends in the context of Mackinac Island Postcards, and has a photo of racks of postcards for sale in a store on Mackinac Island. In the postcard rack above, the second card from the bottom on the right shows a popular nighttime view of the Mackinac Bridge.

Saturday, March 7, 2009

You never know what you will find on the Internet. Today I started looking at the links to Postcard Friendship Friday on cpaphilblog.com and I got as far as phil's photo of a mailman. When I saw that I immediately thought "Library of Congress." So I went to that website and started searching for photos of mail box, mailbox, post card, and postcard (searches with the two different spellings produce different results). I found some interesting photos of those things that I will save for a later time.Since Daylight Savings Time starts tomorrow, I was really excited to find an old 1917 United Cigar Stores Company poster urging people to "Sign and Mail one of these Post Cards to Your Congressman at Washington and help make it a National Law to SET THE CLOCK ONE HOUR AHEAD." The United States did adopt Daylight Savings Time in 1918.

Below is an enlarged detail of the postcard appearing at the top left of the poster. The message side of the postcard says: "If I have more Daylight I can work longer for my country. We need every hour of light. As a voter in your district I favor the immediate passage of the Daylight Saving bill by Congress."

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Here I am "going to the dogs" again! This is a postcard with a laminated picture and a removable label on the back. It is from Russ Berrie & Company, Inc. (better known for stuffed animals), copyright MCMLXXXIV (1984).

NOTE: You don't have to post today. The deadline is really at the end of the month so there is plenty of time to post. You also can put the permalink to an older post on the theme into Mister Linky.

The theme for this month is DOGS. I chose this theme because I read several postcard blogs recently that were about dog postcards. "Dogs" seems like a theme that a lot of people either have already or can find.

There are many different types of dog postcards. Here are a few from my postcard collection to inspire you.

An old postcard with a picture of a pretty little girl and a pretty big dog.

A 1940s linen postcard of greyhound racing in Florida.

My favorite 1950s-1960s U. S. chrome postcards of dogs are those showing dressed dogs with props and messages. Unfortunately these are much less common than plain portraits of dogs.

Black poodles are my favorite breed of dog because my family had a black standard poodle when I was young. This postcard is made in Denmark and signed by artist Michaelis.

"H.M. the Queen with the Duke of Edinburgh at Windsor Castle." This is a real photo postcard published by Valentine's of a young Queen Elizabeth and a little Corgi, a breed of dog that I always associate with her.

September 3, 2009There will be no Postcard Scavenger Hunt this month. It has been hard to find postcard topics that many people will have and be interested in, and there has not been much participation most months.

(revised 6/3/09)Each month (usually on the first Thursday Friday of the month) I will post a theme for the Postcard Scavenger Hunt. You are invited to place one or more of your postcards illustrating that theme on your blog and link to your blog posting via the Mister Linky widget. Please leave a comment, and if Mister Linky is not working, put your link in your comment. You don't have to post right away. The deadline is really at the end of the month so people can have plenty of time. You can also submit the permalink to one of your older posts on the theme. Occasionally, I may add a link to a post I have seen that fits the current theme.It is recommended that you use the permanent link for your post, not your home page url. By using the permanent link, your posting will be easier for others to find. Other ways you can help others find your posting are to copy my title (e.g. “Postcard Scavenger Hunt #1 – Dogs”) and to use “postcard scavenger hunt” as a label or tag. If you have any suggestions or opinions about future themes, frequency, deadlines, etc., please leave a comment on this post.

I found this 1968 Russian postcard when I looked through my box of comic postcards for something related to hunting. I love the way this dog is LOL! A translation is penciled on the back: "To run for a hare is not my hobby." I studied Russian in school but I can't remember much except the Russian alphabet. I wish I still had my Russian dictionary. The last word looks like "profile" spelled in Russian characters, and "profile" actually is the literal translation I found on LangtoLang Multilingual Dictionary. Interestingly, that website translates "hobby" by just spelling it in the equivalent Russian characters. I think in English we would say it's not my "job."

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

I am testing Mister Linky on this post. The Münchner Kindl on this Hof-Bräu Cafe postcard is here because it looks like she is testing (sausage) links too. Printed on the back of the postcard is 'Jewel City "San Francisco—1915."' The year 1915 was when the Panama-Pacific International Exposition was held in San Francisco.

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Slim Williams was in Chicago at the Century of Progress Exposition in 1933 to promote the idea of building the Alaska Highway from Alaska to the lower 48 states. In 1932 he had boasted that he could drive his dog team along the proposed route and go all the way to Chicago, where the Century of Progress Exposition was planned for 1933. The Alaska Road Commissioner persuaded Williams that such a trip could be used to promote the building of the Alaska highway.

It took Williams five months to reach the beginning of the existing North American Highway system in British Columbia. In Washington state, the sled’s runners were replaced with wheels for the remainder of the trip to Chicago. In Chicago, Williams and his dogteam made a popular Alaskan exhibit at the Century of Progress Exposition. A Time Magazine article (October 2, 1933) reported that when former president Herbert Hoover visited the fair he chatted with Williams.

When the fair closed, Williams went to Washington, D.C. to further promote the highway. He met with legislators and President Roosevelt. The President set up a commission with Canada to explore building a highway to Alaska. The highway was considered feasible but too costly and unnecessary at that time. Construction of the Alaska Highway was finally begun in 1942, during World War II.

Below is an enlarged detail from the postcard with a better view of Williams and his equipment.